You can’t impeach Gov Ortom, court tells 8 Benue lawmakers

Gov Samuel Ortom

A  Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice Theresa Igoche has issued an interim order restraining eight members of Benue State House of Assembly from going ahead with their impeachment process against Governor Samuel Ortom.

The court also granted the motion ex parte ordering the Police and all members of security agencies to, without further delay, vacate the Benue State Assembly complex.

Justice Igoche gave the ruling in the application by Mr. Sebastian Hon, on behalf of Governor Samuel Ortom, 22 members of Benue House of Assembly, the Government of Benue State and the Attorney General of the state.

The applicants had, Monday, approach the court seeking eight reliefs including, among others, an order of the court barring the eight members from sitting and the Chief Judge of the State from acting on any request and proceedings from the eight lawmakers.

In her ruling, Justice Igoche, who reaffirmed a subsisting order by the Chief Judge, Justice Adams Onum, restraining the former Speaker and former principal officers of the House from parading themselves as same, also restrained the Chief Judge from acting on any process or request, proceeding and resolution issued pursuant to the removal of the governor by the defendants, pending the determination of the motion on notice.

According to her, “this is a motion ex parte brought pursuant to Order 7 Rule 5(1), Order 39 Rule 3(2) of the Benue State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2007, sections 96, 97 and 99 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, 2004 and Inherent Powers of Court.

“The said reliefs are hereby granted. By way of further order this court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this case, it is hereby ordered that this interim order shall last for only seven days from today.

“The motion on notice shall be served on the respondents as ordered above, for them to be heard on August 7, 2019.”